working title formerlyGood Girls Don't Cry
by Kaitylyn
Summary: “What do you want?” she snapped. “Actually, I wanted to apologize to you for the other night!” “Right. I'm sure you did.” Lily pushed past him. A James&Lily story about what exactly they had to do to end up together.
1. This is why punch bowls were invented

Lily Evans sat in the front row in 5th year Charms class with her two best friends, Faith and Amber, Thinking.

It wasn't often that her mind wandered to boys but today she was plagued with the thought of one; James Potter.

It was getting to be pretty obvious that she liked him, but the less obvious part was exactly WHY? He was stubborn and hot headed and completely cocky and incredibly gorgeous; not that she would ever tell anybody. But that didn't stop her from thinking about him today... constantly.

The bell rang and Lily was grateful. She hadn't been able to pay any attention at all to Professor Flitwick babbling on. Not today. Today her mind was focused on two things and two things only. The start of term dance and James Potter, and if James Potter would ask her to the dace. Okay, I suppose that was three.

"Hey, Lils, where you going? The great hall is this way." said Amber, running up to Lily and grabbing her arm, as to redirect her.

"What? Oh. Yeah."

"What where you thinking about in class, you looked all dazed and such." asked Amber, picking at something on the front of her robes.

Before Lily could stop herself she blurted out. "Wondering if James Potter would ask me to the dance." The moment the words left her lips her hands flung to her mouth.

Amber slapped her hand to her head as Lily looked over her shoulder. "You don't think anybody heard me, do you?" Lily asked, her life would be hell if one of the school gossips got a hold of that.

"Well, I did." said Faith uncertainly; she had been leaning up against the fall waiting for them.

"I didn't know you liked Ja -cough cough- him? When did this start?" Amber went on.

"I know, I don't, I mean, I do, I mean ... I don't know what I mean!" Lily cried, exasperated.

"I always suspected." Amber cut in before Lily could continue. "I mean, pure hatred like that had to change into love at some point." 

Faith and Lily just stared at her for a moment in dull shock. The sad part was, that probably made sense.

Lily had managed to pull herself back together by the time they got to the Great Hall for lunch, although she didn't eat as much as she normally would have.

"Lily, we're going to see you at the Quidditch match tonight ... right?" Trixie Ackart asked, leaning over the table and accidentally putting her elbow in the gravy.

"Wouldn't miss it, Gryffindor against Ravenclaw, isn't it?" asked Lily.

Trixie nodded, then noticed about the gravy and pulled her elbow back, cleaning it with a napkin.

Lily glanced down the table where James, Sirius, Peter and Remus where. They where plotting. Lily could tell; they where all huddled together and talking in hushed tones.

"So, did you hear about Anna Burby?" Trixie continued, leaning over the table again, but being more careful where she rested her elbows.

"No, what happened?" Amber asked. Anna Burby was a friend of theirs who hadn't turned up for school yet and it was all ready halfway through their first week!

"Her Mum and Pa pulled her out, said they didn't want her to have anything to do with Dumbledore." replied Trixie as if it was the most scandalous thing she had ever heard.

"Thats not fair!" Faith protested. The rest of the girls where talking lively about Anna but Lily had just thought she had head her name and looked over at the boys again. She was sure she had heard them say her name!

Lily, Amber, Faith and Trixie made their way down to the pitch after supper. It was a nice day out, the air was warm but there was a soft, cool breeze to off set it. Perfect weather for Quidditch.

The girls took their seats and watched as the teams mounted their brooms. The whistle blew and the game was on!

Lily was on the edge of her seat watching as Gryffindor scored, repeatedly. They where certainly off to a good start.

By the time the game ended the sun had started to set. Gryffindor had won, 200 to 75. Ouch.

The girls walked slowly back up to the castle and talked about the game. "Did you see the way Sirius Black hit that Bludger?" Amber exclaimed. It was common knowledge that Amber had had a crush on Black since second year, when they had shared detention.

Lily opened her mouth to say something but picked up the sound of voices behind her and instead hasted to quiet so she could listen in.

"Did you see me out there? Whew!" James Potter was saying to his friends. "Wow, hold up." he added.

Suddenly he had jumped up behind Lily and Faith, causing Lily to flinch and Faith to squeak.

"Hey, Lily?" James asked.

Lily's heart skipped a beat.

"You know theres this dance this Friday." he started.

Lily didn't trust herself to talk so she just nodded.

"You wanna go?" he asked.

The rest of the girls where now staring opened mouthed at Lily and James.

"S-sure." Lily said.

"Great, I'll meet you by the drinks." said James, then he patted Lily and Faith on their shoulders and walked back with his friends, who where all laughing for some odd reason.

All the way back to the castle Lily was thinking. James Potter had never asked her out before! And she had actually said yes? Sev was going to be so mad.

The girls scurried back into the castle and straight up to their dormitories. "Holy Hell!" Trixie was exclaiming, jumping up and down on her bed, her bony arms flailing.

"Trixie, do you mind?" Rebbecca , a short orange haired witch, spat from her bed. Trixie silenced herself but still looked as though Christmas had come early.

Suddenly Lily's eyes widened and she inhaled deeply.

"Lils, are you okay?" asked Faith, a worried look off setting her blue eyes.

"I don't have anything to wear!"

-------------

Friday came fast and soon Lily found herself cutting class with Amber and Faith to start to get ready for the dance.

"I feel really bad about this." Faith confessed. "We don't have a choice, we have to get ready, its not our faults Professor Binns has no social life and refused to cancel class." snapped Amber as they ran like lunatics up to the common room.

They practically yelled the password at the Fat Lady _( Mugwort) _and Faith accidentally ran into a first year as they dashed though the common room.

Once they where safely in the girls dorms they started to talk about what to wear and how to wear it.

"Should I wear my hair up? -Lily held up her hair- Or down and curly? -Lily put her hair down. Amber and Faith looked at her for a moment.

"What if you left it down, and curly, but had a braid in the back?" Amber suggested.

Lily looked quizzically at the floor length mirror, trying to determine if she could pull it off.

"OK." Lily said, Amber always knew what to do with hair and such so if she said she could pull it off, Lily knew that she could.

It took nearly three hours for them to get ready, but when they did they looked like they should have been on the cover of _Sparkle_, a popular teen witch magazine.

Amber wore a shoulder less, yellow dress and had her blond hair up in a cloud of curls around her face. Faith opted to have her own dark hair long and curly and wore a blue dress that brought out the color of her eyes. Lily, on the other hand felt very self conscious, even if all her friends assured her she looked magnificent. She wore a green, shoulder less dress that made her eyes shine and had her hair in a sort of half ponytail that Amber had managed to create in less then twenty minutes.

The girls made their way down to the dance in general silence, until finally they stood outside the great hall. They could hear the music playing on the inside of the large, oak doors, but paused before they entered to link arms.

Faith pushed open the doors with one hand and Amber with one of hers, Lily was in the middle.

They couldn't have been in for more than 5 seconds before Faith and Amber's dates swept them away. Lily didn't waste time, she made her way to the punch bowl at the other side of the Great Hall and waited. She couldn't see any of the 'marauders' as they called themselves.

After half an hour at the punch bowl Lily had the suspicion she was being stood up. She stood there with a glass of butterbeer, staring out the window at the full moon which was peeking out from between two very thin dark clouds.

To make matters worse, she knew for a fact that Sev wasn't coming; something that had this morning made her feel so elated because he wouldn't be there to see her with Potter and possibly start trouble, was now a very horrible thought. It would have been nice to have the company of a friend to talk to right about now so she didn't feel so hopeless.

She refused all the wizards that asked her to dance, wanting to wait until the dance was over. She didn't know why but she couldn't believe that he had stood her up; not because she had never been stood up before (although she hadn't) but because of that look he had in his eyes when he asked her. He had seemed so sincere. Or was it just because she really wanted him to ask her out? Lily had no idea anymore.

By the the time the dance was over and the chaperons where ushering all the students out, Lily felt like she was on the verge of tears. Normally she wouldn't have cared much, she would have just shrugged it off and gone and danced with someone else, but this time was different. How, she didn't exactly know. What happened to the strong, independent Lily Evans that seemed to have vanished a few days prior?

"Wasn't that dance the best!" Amber exclaimed, she looked red in the face from dancing. Lily looked up at her and she must have noticed the tears starting to form in Lily's eyes because she started to frown.

"Lils, what happened?" she asked, brushing away her blond hair. Lily paused, she didn't want to make any of her friends sorry for her but she felt like she had to tell someone before she burst.

"James Potter stood me up." she said very quietly. Amber and Faith exchanged looks.

"Maybe something came up." said Faith apologetically, putting a hand on her friends shoulder.

"If its any consolation, none of his friends showed up either." said Amber, obviously thinking it would help. Sadly, it did not.

"Great, so they're probably all together laughing about how stupid I must have looked standing there by the punch bowl all night." Lily said, her voice cracking.

With that Lily quickened her pace and practically jogged back to her nice, warm, four poster bed.

She laid awake mostly all night stewing on what had happened. She had thought of all the possibilities that could have kept James away. She went from him getting detention to him getting abducted by small, carnivorous , water monsters, but none seemed as likely as him just standing her up.

By the early morning hours she had decided that she couldn't sulk any more and remembered something Anna had told her once. "Big girls don't cry, we get even."


	2. Lily, this is horrendously immature

The next morning Lily pretended to be sick. Amber and Faith reckoned they knew why, but only cast her knowing looks as they headed off to classes. Rebbecca was another story all together. Not only would she bribe her to get up every five minutes, she also threatened to tell Madam Pomphrey that she was skipping class by faking ill, and also threatened to tell everybody that the reason Lily wasn't showing up was that she was "hungover."

"Look." said Lily, on one such occasion. "I'm bloody well sick, and if you don't get out of here soon I'm going to hex you out."

If looks could kill then Lily would be dead and buried. Rebbecca gave her the filthiest look she had ever seen in her life, and then slung her rucksack over her shoulder and left.

Lily didn't know what Rebbecca was going to do to get her back, but quickly brushed it off and hopped out of bed to get dressed to pass the time while the rest of the stragglers left for class. Finally when she thought nobody would be left in the boys dormitories she crept over to have a peek and see what mischief she could cause.

"Hi?" she called as an extra precaution as she stood at the top of the stairs, hand already inching the boys door open.

"Hello?" 

The voice made her jump back and almost topple down the steps. After a very quick moment of panic, she took a deep breath and looked back into the room. There, lying on his four poster bed looking as though he had been in a train wreck was none other than Remus Lupin, fourth marauder.

"Oh, Remus, how are you?" asked Lily, honestly a little bit concerned. It looked like he had been in an accident with the whomping willow, and the tree had won.

"I'm ... rather under the weather." replied Remus, stating the obvious.

"What happened?" Lily advanced into the room and sat on the bed beside his as to get a better look at him. "Have you called Madam Pomphrey yet? You should probably be looked at."

Remus shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm fine. But may I ask what your doing in the boys dormitories? You look perfectly healthy, why aren't you in class?"

"Remus, I think we both know why I'm here, and its not to check in on you, no offense, but I didn't even know you where here. I came in to check on James' bed and make sure I don't accidentally drop itching powder on it."

"Lily, itching powder? Whats gotten into you? Isn't that a little out of character for you?"

"Is not." said Lily in self defense. "Or didn't you hear? James stood me up! For the dance last night and I plan on getting him back and if you don't think thats the least bit unkind of him then your not the level headed person I thought you were."

"The dance? Oh..." Remus trailed away, looking down at his hands.

"So you did hear about it then. I'm not surprised. You know you could have at least told me what they were planning so I wasn't standing around like an idiot all night."

"He didn't tell you?" asked Remus, looking back up at her in shock.

"Obviously not if I was about to put itching powder in his bed. And what would he have told me exactly?" she added as an afterthought.

Remus blushed and looked down at his hands, then over at the beds around the room, deciding something. He appeared to come to a conclusion as he looked back up at Lily and started to grin. "I don't think itching powder is the way to go. If you really want to get back at James then your going to need something a touch better than that."

"I couldn't just start with this?"

"No."

"But I really don't have anything else."

"I don't care."

"You sound like Sirius."

"I sound like someone who is going to help you get James back for what he did. Now take it or leave it."

"Fine."

"Fine what?"

"FINE I TAKE IT."

Remus smiled and tried to inch his way over so that he could stand up, but with a sigh he fell back and decided to just sit on the corner of the bed. "We're going to need supplies." he said plainly.

"I told you I only have this, what do I look like? A bloody joke shop?"

"I'm sorry, Lily, I should have been more clear. Open Sirius' trunk."

Lily looked to the trunk Remus had motioned too and -against her better judgment- slid over to it and pulled the lid open to reveal a flurry of crumpled clothes mixed in with a large assortment of gizmo's and cans of who knows what.

"Now." said Remus, craning his neck to see into the trunk. "If you can spot it, theres a yellow can in there. They were going to use it on Snape, but I believe this would be a far better way to get rid of it."

After what seemed like an eternity of digging in which Lily almost touched a pair of red satin nickers, she finally stood up and drew her wand from her waistband and pointed it at the trunk.

_"Accio yellow can." _

Instantly a yellow can shot up out of the wreckage and flew into her outstretched hand. She read the label, which was finely engraved like in a can of expensive blush. It read quite simply; "Amaze your friends and annoy your enemies."

"Is this hair dye?" she asked, unscrewing the cap.

"No. Much better, although you are on the right track. Now all you have to do..."

------------------------------------------

By the time diner rolled its way into the Great Hall so did Lily Evans. No one at the four house tables or the head of staff noticed anything odd about her what-so-ever as she joined the flow of hungry students, taking a seat between Faith and Amber.

"I could have brought you up something." said Faith, still obviously concerned about her friend.

"Oh, no, I'm fine now. I honestly couldn't care less about any of it, I just hope I didn't miss too much in classes, can I borrow either of your notes?"

This started Faith and Amber into a frenzie as they relayed the classes and exactly what happened in them. (From the class topic, to who had flirted with who and how embarrassed Nelly Faulkner was when she accidentally slipped on a live frog in potions class and ended up toppling over into Peter Petigrew's cauldron.)

While they where busy retelling every possibly detail that she had missed, Lily was putting her plan into action. With out anybody noticing, she jinxed James' water to disappear every time he raised the goblet to his lips. (A nice trick she had picked up from Sev one year prior) while also watching him devour half a nice loaf of thirst provoking bread. (James, not Severus.)

As Faith and Amber took a breather to recuperate, Lily reached for the pitcher of pumpkin juice. She poured herself one glass, and then dropped in a pre-measured amount of yellow powder from her sleeve. If anyone noticed, they didn't say anything as she replaced the pitcher and tucked into her own meal. _All in due time. _

"Lily, are you even paying attention?" asked Amber impatiently, perfect eyebrows furrowed. "Your the one who asked us to tell you after all, I don't do it for my health you know."

"Well, laughing _is_ good for your health, so take a good look at James Potter when he gets a drink of pumpkin juice."

Faith and Amber exchanged worried looks, but where quickly side tracked as James took a huge gulp from his freshly filled goblet and fell back from the table, clutching his throat. 

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Oh, don't you just love cliffhangers? Second chapter up. Actually, I tried to delete this story so many times, but it wouldn't delete! So now I guess I'm working on finishing it... Fun. Fun. Please review. Tell me how I'm doing, I've never really done any real James/Lily type things before. (Unless you count Martrio, which I don't.)

\\Until next time, I hope :)


	3. stay away from my friend!

Good Girls Don't Cry; Chapter Three

His throat had started to spasm the moment he swallowed that pumpkin juice, and now his head had started to burn so badly that he had to squeeze his eyes shut in pain. Hands clutching his scalp he could feel something covering his knuckles. His hair seemed to be falling out! Clutching a handful, he pulled slightly, but it wasn't that it was falling out, it was growing longer!

By the time his hair was down to his shoulders James looked utterly bewildered; a look here mirrored by the three of his faithful marauders standing around him not knowing quite what to do. Lily was worried at first, but as soon as she saw his hair growing she knew the potion was working, and by the time it had started to turn orange she was in complete hysterics. Her plan was working! Actually, Remus' plan was working... but that was beside the point. James was about to be embarrassed in front of the entire school, just like she had. Revenge was sweet.

James on the other hand had realized what happened soon after the hair reached his chest and he felt the starting of an equally vibrant orange beard and mustache cropping up on his smooth shaven face. _Snivellus._ He thought. But no, he would not be embarrassed so easily.

"CLEAR THE WAY!" he shouted as he pushed his way onto the table, narrowly missing putting his foot in the potato dish. With as much of a smile as he could manage he took several long bows. By the time he had completed the first one the crowd had started to applaud. His plan had worked. They all thought that he had planned this.

"What a magnificent bit of spellwork, Mr. Potter." said a tight voice behind him. He turned to see a very shrewd faced Professor McGonagall standing on the other side of the table. "Now would you care to step _off_ the diner table."

Lily couldn't believe what she saw next. Not only had the whole thing done a complete u-turn back into her face, but now James, covered in wiry orange hair and standing atop the Gryffindor table did the one thing she did not expect him to do. He bowed to Professor McGonagall, winked, and hopped off the table to his original seat and hasted to finish his supper.

"I would like to have a word with you in my office Mr. Potter."

"May I just fini-"

"NOW!"

As James was pulled out of the Great Hall by McGonagall, who had a firm grip on his elbow, he gave one last little curtsy and exited with what he thought a complete stroke of genius. _Snivellus probably wee'd himself in anger. _

----------------------------------------------------------

"It didn't work." said Lily, sitting opposite Remus on the bed during supper time that night. After finishing up her classes and having a quick bite she had run up to the boys dormitory before anybody else went back yet to have a word with Remus and tell him the predicament they where now in.

The light from the windows reflected off all of the dust in the room that seemed to coat everything and hang in the air and cling to the bed hangings. The late afternoon sun was hot against the side of her face, and she kept wondering what it would be like to be outside, perhaps with James, soaking up the last bit of pleasant weather that this summer had to offer.

"The potion didn't take effect?"

"No. It did alright. James had a beard down to his manly bits, the problem was he acted like ... oh I don't know, like it was just for a laugh! Honestly, like he just woke up one morning and said _oh, I think I'll turn myself ginger today for shits and giggles between diner and pudding."_

"It does sound like James alright. And he didn't get into trouble?"

"Oh yes he did!" exclaimed Lily. "He got a right nice talking to, lost us ten house points and had to spend the afternoon laughing it up in the informatory!"

"Well, James always has been the very -er- likable sort. I bet my life he didn't do that stunt without winking once and making a girls heart stop." When he said the last part Remus' ears tinged pink ever so slightly and he looked down at his hands; he knew very well Lily fancied James.

"He did wink! But I doubt very much McGonagall's heart stopped!" roared Lily.

After the laughing died down on both parts, Remus repositioned himself and gave a nervous glance out the window, apparently thinking. "So what are you going to do now?"

Lily raised her eyebrows. "What am _I _going to do? _I _am going to go finish _our_ prefect duties while _you _think up another plan for us to try."

"Oh I'll be doing something alright..." Remus muttered darkly as Lily ran out the door in a flash of black robes and red hair.

--------------------------------------------------------

Planning went on hiatus as Remus supposedly took a turn for the worse and ended up in the hospital wing the next day. This little piece of gossip was not over missed by Sev, who cornered her in potions and bombarded her with so called evidence that Remus was secretly a werewolf. This however only kept Lily's mind focused on him enough to remember this time to copy down extra notes that she was planning on delivering to him after classes, and allowed her to dodge the subject of James; some one she would not be telling Sev about ever, even in a special note in her will after she died.

On her way up to the informatory she was cornered in the halls by none other than that which she was avoiding. Unsurprisingly, he was flagged by Sirius and Peter but curiously enough he sent them away when he stopped her.

"Rape in the hallways will earn you more than the deduction of house points." Lily muttered, not looking at him.

"Now, Lily, thats a little bit presumptuous." he actually had the nerve to sound almost offended.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"Actually, I wanted to _apologize _to you for the other night!"

"Right. I'm sure you did." Lily pushed past him.

"FINE, then. Let me make it up to you!"

"Over my dead corpse!"

"Then tell your dear _Snivellus _that he should stay the bloody well away from me!"

At this Lily whirled around, wand drawn. "James Potter! Don't you dare insult me, and then insult my friend and ask me to just walk away! You horrible, rowdy, prat! Sev has never done anything to you and neither have I, why either of us deserves this crap from you is BEYOND ME!"

James face was scrunched up in concentration as he bellowed back a response. "If I stay away from your precious _SEV _then you better well stay away from Moony or you'll have ME to deal with." he pointed a finger at himself to punctuate the statement, and turned his back on her the same time she did to him; both stalking off towards different ends of the castle.

---------------------------------


	4. flees and walks and broomsticks, oh my

Chapter Four;

------------------------------

Lily stormed into the hospital wing and flung herself down on the bed beside Remus's, flinging his homework down on his lap and crossing her arms over her chest. "Apparently I'm not allowed to see you anymore." she snapped.

"Wha?" Remus was sitting up in bed, a cup of tea on the nightstand, his eyes wide as he took in the situation. His day just got a bit more exciting.

"James! I'm not allowed to see you! That arrogant git! Where does he get off telling me not to see you? He doesn't own me! Or you for that matter! And if he EVER goes near Sev again I will personally detach all of his limbs!"

"Lily, calm down." said Remus, holding up his hands.

"I am calm!"

"Thank you for bringing me my homework." he said timidly, after a moment of silence in which he let Lily seethe.

"Your welcome. How are you feeling?"

Remus shrugged. He felt fine, at the moment at least. "I'll live."

"Have you been thinking any more? About the plan?"

"Actually yes, in a way."

Lily smiled. She could -and would- be angry at James later. At the moment she was going to do something about it.

"Well, first I think it only right to tell you that he thinks its Snape who pulled that on him in the Great Hall and trust me, he isn't happy about it. I'd tell him to watch his back if I were you. And secondly, I really have no idea what to do to him next that he would not easily find a way out of."

"He thinks it was Sev that pranked him? That was his own ruddy potion!"

"Yes, but he was going to use it on Snape, and he isn't very fond of him, I'm not sure if you were aware."

Lily sighed, disappointed. "We'll see about this. I think I have a plan, but maybe its best if he _doesn't _see us hanging out. You can be my secret weapon."

With that she slid off the bed and sauntered from the room, leaving Remus to sip his tea and review over notes. What fun.

----------------------------------  
James on the other hand was busy fuming in an altogether different -and louder- way in the seventh floor corridor.

"I mean, who does she reckon she is? She can't honestly stand up for that prat Snape! And why would she be getting so cozy with Moony, huh? What would she do if she found out about his furry little problem? What would she do then, HUH? Reckon she'd still fancy the pants off him _then_?!"

Sirius scratched the back of his neck with his nails. He was fairly certain he had flees, but didn't want to mention it for his own pride. And just what was it that James was on about anyways? He wasn't really listening. Peter was though, he could tell when he looked over and saw how he was practically drooling over James' shoes. _ Suckup.  
_  
"Well!" said Sirius, finally -in James' opinion- coming to the rescue of his best mate. "I think so what? Remus needs a girl too you know, he's not just some lovable puppy you can take home like me! Wait.. that sounded a bit wrong... NO MATTER! He deserves a girl, and who are we to stop him?"

James flung Sirius's arm from around his shoulder and stood there gaping at him. "FINE! By all means let him have a girl, but NOT Lily! Why does he want her anyways? And THATS BESIDE THE POINT! What I'm saying is why the bloody hell does Snivellus think that he can get away with something like that! I'm getting him bloody well back I am!"

Sirius scratched his head again and fell up against the stone wall. Yes, he definitely had a few flees. Wait, James talking about revenge? Again something to live for.

"So, what are you suggesting?" asked Peter, an evil glint lighting up his pudgy round face.

"Well, I suggest getting him back. Tomorrow of course, at diner. Can't tonight, we have a pooch to walk."

At this Sirius again bolted to attention, thinking they had noticed the flees, but then realized James was talking about Moony AGAIN. "Honestly, mate, we gotta get you a girl friend." he muttered as the trio made their way back to the common room to get the cloak and map.

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The next day went by fairly uneventful for Lily. In class she sat writing notes to Sev on their secret parchment. It made it so that her writing would go on his parchment, so that they could pass notes and not get caught quite as easily. When she wasn't doing that she was plotting revenge, her new favorite pastime, but couldn't come up with anything until Herbology. Miss. Sprout, the new teacher with the funny little hat, picked their groups for them, and by chance what group would she end up in? Surely it had to be James'. (After all, this story is about them.)

When she went up to check what group she was in she bent over the list and read down until she got to her name.

_Faith Redrow, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin._

Amber Curtis-Moore, Kathy Longbottom, Trixie Ackart.

Lily Evans, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew.

She read and re-read her group twice over, but there was no mistaking it. She had actually ended up in a group with two of the people she hated most in the world. Well, actually she had no real reason to hate Peter, but he was with James, and in her books that could not bode well for her Herbology grade.

She made her way over to their table and started working on pruning the Dragon Snaps in silence. If she could help it, she tried not to even look at either of them, and that seemed to be fitting considering that neither where looking at her either. Finally after what seemed like ages James broke the silence.

"Snivellus is going to pay for that little stunt he pulled the other day, you might as well run off and tell him Evans."

"Evans? Are we really on a last name basis now? You mean I'll have to start calling you Potter? Oh lovely, so many nice things rhyme with that." she was NOT going to let him bother her, and she was as determined on this as she was that she would let nothing happen to her best friend.

"A bit impatient today aren't we? I was just telling you so you could get a good seat tonight at diner, because the fire works will be something worth telling your mates about."

"You makes no sense." she retorted, holding a long slimy arm of her Dragon Snap plant in her gloved hands.

"To you, maybe."

"And whats that spose to mean exactly?"

Peter was forced to duck suddenly as both James and Lily released their plant arms and a long vine with an angry looking set of teeth attached to its concave head tried to set its jaws around his face.

James beat it off with a textbook and whirled back to Lily. "Your the one who started this, Evans, so just sit back and enjoy the show."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "_I _started this? Your the one who _STOOD ME UP!_" 

Oops.

The entire greenhouse went silent. (or as silent as a greenhouse can get when its filled with snapping plants willing to sink their fangs into any unsuspecting student.) Off in the other corner Amber clapped a hand to her pretty tanned forehead._ Perfect, just perfect._

James clenched his jaw. "I apologized for that!"

"Oh just shut up and get back to work."

For once James appeared to listen, and begrudgingly went back to tackling the plant with Peter while Lily rested her hands on her head and closed her eyes. At the table beside them Faith and Sirius seemed to be sitting closer than necessary, and he kept scratching himself. With any luck he had gotten lice and would give them to James first chance he got. 

"Er, can I have a little bit of help. Please." It was Peter, but if he hadn't been tangled in a mass of slimy green limbs willing to eat him he would have stayed silent. As it was he felt awkward anyways, but what was he to do, the poor boy looked blue in the face.

Lily went over to help him because James had disappeared off to somewhere. With an expert hand she unwound Peter and quietly set to work extracting the venom from the plants skin. Just as she thought, if she didn't get to work her grade would take a hopeless nose dive. 

"Th-Thanks." said Peter, rubbing his chubby arm.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you would have done the same for me." she replied, flashing him a quick smile. After all, it wasn't _Peter _who was the rude prat thats she knew of at least. Speaking of which, she spotted James across the room talking in hushed whispers with Sirius and Remus, who had left Faith looking rather gloomy to finish the work herself. Lily half considered calling her over, but decided against it as her plant gave another whip like crack of its arms just beside Peter's head. That boy has the _worst _luck.

Later on that day Lily was walking towards the Great Hall for supper. She was considering to herself if she wanted to ask Faith, Amber and Trixie if they wanted to have a picnic outside to enjoy the last few warm days before they where bombarded with snow when she pushed open the double doors and made her way over to her usual spot. Lately it seemed that for whatever reason she was always late for supper. Today it was because she volunteered to help Professor Binns and Flitwhick put the portraits in the second floor back in order. _Somebody_ had put it so that the lions where directly beside the zebras and the Giraffes, and her being a prefect -and not wanting to go to supper and see James- had decided to help them.

Before she even got to her seat however she felt her pocket burning hot. Sev was writing something to her on her note paper, and she had to double back. Her friends would not appreciate her writing to Sev while sitting with them because for some odd reason they absolutely hated him. She refused to stop being friends with him over something like that, but still, no use rubbing salt in their wounds.

Once back in the hallway she unfolded the square of parchment, and under a snide comment about Professor Slughorn in cramped writing, sure enough, a new entry. One that seemed to be scribbled in a hurry, because the letters were shaky and hardly legible.

_Lily help. Quidditch pitch._

Lily sighed and took off towards the pitch at a run, sticking the note hastily back in her pocket as she did so. What was Sev doing out _there_? He _despised _Quidditch and all who played it!Ignoring the off looks from stragglers that were late for supper, Lily whizzed by, narrowly missing Hagrid who called after her. She waved it him, but kept up her pace. This better be important, because she was missing a meal and that never put her in a good mood.

When she finally arrived there she thought that it had been a trick. She saw nobody, until she heard a quivering voice from above her. 

"Lily! Up here!"

Snape was hanging upside down, his skinny legs entwined around a school broom. His cloak was hanging backwards off him in such a way that it looked like he was a giant, malformed bat hanging in midair; his closely cropped hair hanging around his young pale face.

"What happened?" she asked hopelessly, looking around for another broom.

"Lily, please just help me." he wined back.

Now sure that he was not in any immediate danger as long as he was able to hold on, she went off to the broom shed and came out with a Comet 360 which she quickly mounted to fly up to his rescue. She pulled him upright on his broom and together they glided down, landing softly (more so in her case) on the fresh green grass.

"So, what _were _you doing up there exactly?"

Snape looked sheepishly down at his hands as he fumbled to put a small quill and the paper back inside his pockets, mumbling something under his breath.

"What?"

"I said I was just practicing."

Resisting the urge to laugh, Lily looped her arm around Snape's and they started to walk back to the castle. They both knew he couldn't fly to save his life, but she wasn't going to point that out right now.

"Macnair fell last week and they needed a new beater." he added dully.

"And how exactly did you manage to get upside down?" she asked, not succeeding in keeping a trace of humor from her voice.

"THAT was not my fault!" Suddenly Snape was very animated, and turned towards her, his eyes wide.  
"That was Potter's doing! He came in and saw me practicing with his horde of deviants and decided I best stay up there for a while! I would have been up there all night had I not had that paper! Could have gotten me _killed!_ What if I had of fallen?"

"_James _Potter did this?" snarled Lily.

"Who else!"

Lily narrowed her eyes and glared back up at the castle, as if expecting him to come waltzing out to mock them both.

"Look." she said, getting an idea. "I want you to come meet Remus with me tonight, in the hospital wing. He'll help-" but the rest of her sentence was cut off as Snape interrupted.

"NO! He's one of _them!_ I'm not going to go meet him with you!"

Lily's eyes were wide as she watched Snape stride purposely back to the castle. "I don't need his help! I can get even by my self thank you!"  
"But Sev!" said Lily, chasing after him. "He'll help, I've been talking with him and -"

"Oh _really, _what happened to hating all those filthy miscreants?"

"Remus isn't a-"

"FINE THEN! Go help _Remus _then! I'll take care of myself from now on while your out gallivanting with Potter and his gang of monkeys!"

Lily watched as Severus crossed the grassy slope of the courtyard and disappeared through the double doors leading to the entrance hall, leaving her there as the sun set behind her, casting eerie red shadows across the front of the castle. 

--------------------------------------

_There, that one was a bit longer then the last. I couldn't help but add that part about her flying,I think she would be a good flier, or at least better then poor Snape. Aren't you proud I've been getting chapters up within like a week span of each other? I am. I wish I could remember to jog as much as a write now; I went out for a run tonight and got the worst stitch in my life because I haven't ran for two weeks. Wish me luck on the next chapter! Hope you liked this one as much as I enjoyed writing it, and please remember to review/correct whatever it is I messed up on:)_

-xo-

__


	5. a stolen moment in the dark

Chapter Five;

The next few days went by in a blur for Lily. Now that Sev was not talking to her, she had to find another partner for potions which she found in Remus, who had recovered and was attending classes again as usual. She could often feel Sev glaring at her while talking to him, but just kept on working. Somehow she felt that if she got back at James then he would have to forgive her. After all, it had been bad enough to stand her up for a dance, but to tease her best friend too?

In Herbology however things got more complicated. Faith, Sirius, and Remus sat very close to James, Peter and herself, and thus so they mainly talked to each other and did nothing. It was fine for Lily, who didn't really care to talk to any of them anyways, but Faith was a different story. She kept shooting hurtful looks at Sirius, as if he had abandoned her.

"Alright, as soon as class is over."

"You know." Lily pointed out. "As soon as this class is over we have potions."

"Point being?" said Sirius, leaning casually up against one of the desks.

"Well, point being that whatever your planning will stop you from getting to class on time."

"At all, if I have my way." muttered James.

Faith seemed to perk up, and leaned over the same desk as Sirius so that her elbows where brushing his. "What are you planning on doing?"

When none of the other boys answered immediately Remus spoke up. "They're having a broomstick race."

"But your not are you? Remus your a prefect!" said Lily, her well groomed eyebrows furrowing. Surely he wouldn't participate in something like this!

"No, I'm going to class, but these pratt's think it would be quite fun to spend their time in other ways."

When he heard this James snapped to attention. Remus was actually taking Lily's side?

"No, your coming with us, mate." he said.

"I'd father not get detention, thank you."

Lily saw the look in James' eye and reached out, taking Remus' hand. "See, I knew one of you had some brains."

With that James seemed to grow even more furious. He pushed himself back, his stool screeching around the classroom then pushing it back up on its hind legs. What could she possibly see in him? Sure, he was his friend, but it was REMUS.

"I bet none of you are even very good fliers. After all, it doesn't take a deal of talent to flip someone upside down on their broom." said Lily nonchalantly.  
Sirius roared in laughter, banging his fist down on the table as if the picture was too hysterical to ever forget. Lily noted the way Faith stared at him as his hair fell over his face; a dreamy expression in her blue-ish eyes. She also noticed that James' laugh seemed forced, as if he was distracted by something. _Hopefully the way I'm holding Remus' hand and not his! _She thought venomously.

"Its harder then it looks, Evans. I bet you've never been on a broomstick in your life!" hissed James after a moment.

"For your information." snapped Lily. "I bet I could out fly you any day."

"Oh, is that right? Then why not after class? Oh, I suppose you need a helmet and knee pads, do you?"

"She could beat you with her eyes closed!" piped up Faith. Lily was shocked, Faith was meek, and not at all the type to raise her voice.

"Fine then, Evans. Its a deal. See you at the pitch."

With that the bell sounded and James slid his books off of the table and disappeared out the door with his mates. Lily held back, walking slowly with Amber, Trixie and Faith, who was nervously chewing her thumb nail. _  
_

"So, who plans on skipping potions with me to see that I can whoop Potter's butt?" asked Lily finally as they strolled out into the cool air.

"Well, its not like I've got anything better to do." said Amber, putting away her Herbology book in her rucksack.

"I spose." added Trixie.

"Faith?"

"Wouldn't miss it for an earthquake."

"Lovely."

-----------------------

"Bet my life they're not going to show."

Remus glared up at Sirius. He had been forcibly dragged out to the pitch, and now sat frozen on one of the bottom stands having forgotten his scarf inside. _Whatever happened to Summer?_

James on the other hand was too busy pacing to notice his friends impatience. _Where was Lily?_ Had she stood him up just like he had to her? But then again, he had a very good reason for standing her up; not that he could ever tell her. It would kill Remus. But then again, Moony didn't seem to care all too much about James' feelings.

Finally he saw four silhouettes against the pumpkin orange sky. The boys all quieted as the shapes got close enough to make out; sure enough, it was the girls all skipping potions.

Lily stalked right up to him and took one of the brooms out of his hands. "What do we do first?"

Mounting the other broom, James looked up at the sky. "Once around the goalposts and back."

"Easy." said Lily, taking off before he even said go.

He launched after her, barreling through the air so fast his eyes began to water. Behind him he could hear Sirius catcalling, which made him push that much harder.

Lily took the corner sharp and nearly slid off the side of her broom, but managed to get control just as James came up beside her. Pressing on, she urged the broom faster and faster, the wind tearing at her robes and whipping her hair from its ponytail.

They circled the goalposts once, and then went again. Too competitive to notice the sun setting.

------------------------

Rebbecca crept up behind the bleachers, watching the scene unfurling in front of her. Peter, Trixie, Sirius, Faith, and Amber stood;their eyes glued to James and Lily and they streaked across the quickly darkening sky. She inched her way closer and closer, eyes widening. Suddenly she knew why she had been the only Gryffindor in Potions.

As quietly as she could she aimed her wand under one of the seats and muttered under her breath. A stream of purple sparks erupted from the end of her wand and shot straight towards her dorm mate.

------------------------

It was as if she had hit a brick wall. Lily's body tensed and she felt the broom shoot forward away from her as she fell back, helpless, with the wind knocked out of her lungs.

Far below Faith screamed and grabbed hold of Trixie and Amber, watching in horror as their best friend fell from the sky. Her body looked like a rag doll.

Remus drew his wand and pointed it at Lily, slowing her down enough that when she hit the ground it felt more like she had fallen an inch then a hundred feet.

James landed beside her and tumbled off his broom, crouching beside her fallen form. "Lily!"

She sat upright, grabbing James' shoulders for support as she tried to walk towards her friends. She was seeing spots from having all the blood rush so quickly to her head. However, she had barely moved three feet when Amber let out a cry. "Teachers!"

The result was instantaneous. The group all took off across the pitch in the opposite direction, running as fast as they could as the cold air ripped at their lungs.

No one stopped until they reached the edge of the woods. A huge ball of red light went up in the air and exploded, casting light out on all of them with a sharp bang.

Lily gripped the closest body to hers, realizing too late that it was James Potter's. A second later he had lifted her and was then leading her deep into the woods after the others. Branches cracked under their feet as tree limbs swung this way and that as they all stumbled further into the darkness.

----------------------


	6. goldfish? lovely

Chapter Six;

The deeper they stumbled into the forest the thicker the darkness became as the trees grew closer and closer together. It was painfully obvious that if they didn't hurry up they would be caught by the teachers and Filch, or, on the other hand, they could be loud enough to earn the attention of one of the gruesome creatures who lived there. Neither a pleasant thought.

Lily's face and arms were already scratched from the bramble, but she had to keep running. She counted only two dark silhouettes beside her now, and those where of James and Sirius; the others, judging from the large amount of noise, were still behind her. Either that or it was just Faith, who had always been known to be astonishingly clumsy.

Her mind was reeling. _If I get caught I'll be stripped of my prefect badge, and a letter will be sent home to mom and dad... _the more she thought of it, she more she found herself thinking thats what she would get if she was _lucky. _She had just skipped a class -_potions no less! What will Professor Slughorn think? I'll never be able to face him in another Slug Club meeting again!- _been flying without supervision -_Rebbecca would love to talk about how cocky I am, thinking I can get away with it- _and then run from whichever teacher had seen them in the first place and into -_no less- _the Forbidden Forest! _I'm dead. Unbelievably dead._

Suddenly everyone stopped running. Except for Lily of course, who didn't get the memo and slammed right into someone -Sirius- and landed hard on the mossy forest floor. James reached down to give her a hand but she batted him away.

"I got down here without your help and I can get up just the same, thanks."

Remus cleared his throat impatiently. "Are we all here?"

Lily did a quick head count. "No, I don't think so. Who's missing?"

As soon as she said it, Peter came stumbling up out of the brushes.

"Trixie." he panted. "Before we got into the woods somebody -wheeze- got her. Back in the field."

"Why didn't you stop and help her!" Amber raged.

"Hey." barked Sirius. "Leave em alone, can't you see the poor fellas going to have a hernia anyways?"

"Thanks... Wait-"

"Listen!" It was Remus' turn to bark. "We need to think of a plan if we don't all wish to be expelled by morning."

"Hes right." agreed James. "I have a plan. Why don't we circle round and nip into the shack, from there we could pop down to Honeyduke's and be back in the castle before anybody suspects us."

"The Shrieking shack? You mean that old dump where the ministry tortures people?" breathed Faith.

"I heard that it was ghosts." cut in Amber.

"Okay, you know what? I don't care what it is. Point being I'm not going to hike all the way through these woods to get to Hogsmead, only to go all the way to that stupid old house and then double back to Honeyduke's. What good would it do us anyways? I for one have more on my mind then candy thanks. I would much rather just get back to the castle in one piece." hissed Lily.

"No. Theres a secret tunnel." said Sirius. "Duh."

"Oh."

"Peter, you run ahead and , uh, get it ready for us." said James. "We can all meet there and .. um.. Sirius you go with him, mate. How many does that leave... the five of us can go up after."

"At the least we're going to go in groups so we don't pull another Trixie. And since you guys know the _secret path _or whatever then one of you should be in each group and stuff. You know, since Sirius and Peter are going ahead then James and Lily should go like right after that, and then Faith and Remus and me could wait a while and go after that. Then at least we _all _wouldn't get caught or anything and we could keep tabs on each other."

"I am NOT going with Potter."

Lily didn't know where that had come from, but it was like Sev's voice had screamed in her ear and she had just yelled it out loud. It was true though, if it wasn't for James then she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place! She wouldn't have skipped classes and ended up running through the woods at night when she should have been doing homework or writing home.

"Well, thanks for that _Evan's, _I wouldn't be so keen to go with you either." spat James.

"Alright love birds, Peter and I are off. Then you: Prongs, and Lily, and then Moony and the ladies... something I never thought I would say, but yes, off we go then."

With out giving them time to protest Sirius started off through the woods again, half dragging Peter with him.

Lily ground her teeth and sat down, arms crossed. Lovely.

Beside her James watched his friends retreating backs. He didn't know what he had done exactly to make Lily so mad now, but whatever it was she was pissed. What happened to a few minutes ago when the fireworks went off and she had grabbed a hold of him? Did she even know who it was she had latched onto? _She must have._

Time ticked by slowly. It seemed to take forever before James finally checked his watch and said it was time to go. Lily got up and followed him reluctantly, waiting until they had traveled a ways before she ultimately opted to speak. 

"You better be able to get us out of this mess." she stated plainly.

"Why do _I _have to get us out of it? Your a right little miss modern woman, why don't you try and get the lot of us back safe?" he spat back.

"Oh, so your sexist along with arrogant. Nice combination if you want to get old and die lonely with just the company of your pet goldfish, which, consequentially you couldn't even remember to feed and therefor is floating in his fish bowl anyways."

"You seem to have put a lot of thought into my future, Evans. Maybe if I'm lucky you'll be the spinster old woman living next door with the cats who ate my bloody goldfish in the first place."

"I would rather burn all the freckles off my face before live anywhere near you."

"Pfft, have fun with that, it'll only take you about a year and a half."

For a moment Lily just glared, but then realizing this didn't have much effect in the dark added a hard shove to his shoulder.

James stumbled a bit, but regained himself fast. "Goldfish killer."

"Urg! Your so infuriating! You can't even think enough to remember that its a damn _fictional_ goldfish!"

"So? You still killed it you old bat of a spinster."

"Actually, it was my cat who did it if you can find it in your brains limits to recall."

"_Actually,_" he said, imitating her. "You probably trained your cat to do it. You probably trained your cat to kill my girlfriend too."

"Your an eighty year old man who's arrogant and sexist, do you really think you'll be having a girlfriend for me to kill?" said Lily, raising an eyebrow. Again however the effect was lost by the darkness.

"Well I haven't had much trouble so far, thanks very much."

"Yeah, if you count having about a hundred flings and no steady relationships _not having trouble."_

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your shrill voice?"

"Do I detect a hint of me cursing you and leaving you for dead while I make my way alone back to the castle to right _your _wrongs."

A long silence followed, broken only by the sounds of sticks breaking and bushes rustling as they stalked past them, very intent upon getting to their destination and ergo getting away from each other. Minutes which seemed like hours passed between them, the silence becoming deafening.

"Why did you stand me up." Lily stated instead of asked. The sound of her own voice almost made her jump after her ears had become so accustomed to the silence.

"Can you just drop that already? You don't know how annoying it is."

"Well." said Lily, her voice cracking. "Thats what you get for standing me up in the first place! You get an annoying Lily Evans to deal with. Whats wrong? Did you chicken out last minute? Or was it more of a, stand her up from the start, laugh about it later type scenario? Because I'll have you know that I didn't wait around, I had fun that night no thanks to you. I really didn't care."

"Oh, and if you didn't care so much then why the hell do you keep talking about it now?" hissed James, finally starting to get agitated. He had actually been with Remus that night, taking care of the whole _werewolf _problem, but it wasn't like he could tell _her _that.

Another long silence ensued, before finally James added. "And I apologized for that anyways."

Lily rolled her eyes. "And I'm sure you were so sorry. If you were really sorry you would have at least told me before hand you couldn't make it."

"Maybe I thought I was going to be there, and maybe something came up. I do have a life right now. I'm not that eighty year old man with the dead goldfish quite yet if you hadn't noticed." With this James stopped and pulled the oh so familiar map out of his pocket. He pointed his wand at the dull parchment and muttered. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The map came to life just as he knew it would, ink smearing across its folded edges to create a perfect, two dimensional version of Hogwarts. He held up his wand again, this time to mutter the spell for light so that he could read the map. All the time he could feel Lily staring over his shoulder. 

"What is that?" she finally asked.

"What does it look like." he replied, finding his own little dot on the outskirts of the forest boundaries. It was, of course, accompanied by Lily's. Up by the Whomping Willow he could see the dots of Sirius and Peter, and then a ways behind them the dots of Remus and Amber and Faith.

Lily saw these too and could already picture it. Amber would be leading the way fearlessly, probably with her wand drawn, waiting for something to attack. She would have that fearless, warrior look to her that would make a guy drool . Remus would be behind her, coat less, because Faith in all her innocent, helpless, kitten like glory would have shivered and made him give it up. Lily placed herself somewhere in between her two best friends personality wise, not quite as bold and cartoon-ish as Amber, but definitely not frail like Faith. And maybe with a bit of Sev mixed in, because they had grown up with each other and all. No matter what though, she didn't have any personality traits of James. _That_, she decided, was certain.

"I said, what is that?" she repeated.

"Its a map, what do you think it is." but before he could go into details he folded it back up and replaced it in his pocket. "Now, the path is right under the Whomping Willow, so we're going to have to run over to it. Don't worry, Peter will have it frozen so it wont break any of your perfect little bones. -_Nox-"_

"Psh, it would be far more likely it would bash your nose in. But then again, that would probably be an improvement. I never noticed how _big _that thing is! I bet if you stand outside in winter people think its a ski run."

"How about you leave being funny to me? I'm a bit better at it."

"Yeah? Who's the one who came up with the goldfish story? I thought that was factual _and_ humorous."

"Humorous? Speak English,why don't you!"

"This English enough for you?" she called over her shoulder as she took off towards the Whomping Willow, leaving the safety of bushes.

James swallowed hard and took off after her. Hopefully Peter would be back to a Peter-ish state by the time they climbed down into the tunnel.

Luckily for them the tree was successfully frozen when they got to it, and with so sign of Sirius or Peter to boot.  
Lily stood with her hands on her hips, staring up at the suspended limbs as if daring them to move.

He had to admit, he did enjoy her boldness. Other girls would be acting all frightened, or crying maybe. But Lily handled everything in a very Lily like way. He had never met anybody quite like her before. 

"Shut up, I know what your thinking and any Peter Pan references will only land you a hard blow to the side of the head." said Lily, not taking her eyes off the tree.

"Peter who?" asked James. "If thats a reference to Peter's weight, then thats quite rude you know, its not his fault he's pudgy. In fact, its probably Sirius' for sneaking him into the kitchen's so much."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Peter Pan is a book, you idiot."

"And do I look like I read?"

"Obviously not. In which case your going to be a very bored eighty year old man with no books to read, no gold fish and no television to watch."

"Tele-what? Never mind. Your like an effing dictionary."

"I think thesaurus is what you mean."

Another silence stretched out between them where James took a few steps forward to approach the tunnel. Lily turned to him, her eyes wide under the stars.

"We better get going." whispered James. He was now so close to her that when he spoke she could feel his breath on her face. "We don't want this tree coming back to -" before he could finish his sentence however he felt Lily's lips press onto his just so gently.

He pulled his head back and looked down at her for a moment. Had that just happened? It was so surreal he couldn't be sure, one way to make sure of it though... he turned his head to the side and covered her mouth with his again. He felt her hold her breath and smiled against her lips. 

------------------------------------  
_So what did you think? Hope you liked it :) Thanks very much to offramp, sorry about the typos on the last one :( Hopefully there are less this time, and I swear I'll edit the last one. Tomorrow if I get the chance._

It was a longer chapter, but it felt shorter writing it. Maybe its because its so late. I had to wrap up early because my lovely dog got sprayed by a skunk about ten minutes ago and the smell is NOT pleasant I assure you. So, with that said I am going to go to whatever room doesn't have that "wonderful" odor. Lol. Please review :) If not for me, then for Middie (my dog) who is now going to have to take a dip in a tomato juice bath.


	7. of windows and rats

Chapter Seven:

_WHAP!_

All of the sudden James was thrown backwards. the next thing he knew he had hit the ground hard, knocking the air from his lungs. he tried to blink the stars out of his eyes and sit up when he heard more of the sounds.

_WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!_

Branches like rope hit the ground on either side of him, tossing up hard clods of dirt before he had yet even realized what had happened. He felt two hands on the front of his robes as Lily tried to drag him up. He stumbled to his feet just in time as another branch hit were he had been only seconds before. half running, have falling, him and Lily took off as afar as they could, not stopping until they reached the shrubbery outside of the greenhouse, were they fell down panting.

Lily sunk to her knees, trying to catch her breath, clutching the stitch in her side while James laid on the ground beside her, fingering the new rip in his favorite jumper.

Her heart thumped inside of her chest so hard she was certain was sure it must have enlarged. never in her life had she gone near that tree, and now she knew exactly why. ever since it was first planted there five years ago and she had seen that poor Hufflepuff boy get his eye poked out. But she wasn't out of danger yet.

"How exactly are we going to get under that tree if its not frozen anymore?" she asked , surprised the way her voice came raspy from all the panting.

"We're not going to." James replied, also sounding winded.

Lily heard him getting to his feet but remained looking were she was, too tired to face him. She stared straight ahead, listening as he rummaged around in his robe pockets.

"Oy, Padfoot." he said.

This caught Lily's attention. She looked around as if expecting to see Sirius, but was disappointed when she looked up at James and saw he was talking into a small, square mirror.

"Prongs, mate, were are you?" Sirius' voice said back.

Lily's eyes widened as she looked into the mirror for the fist time, seeing that instead of James reflection it was Sirius', and he appeared to be hiding somewhere underground considering all the roots she could see in the background.

"Oh, well, ran in to a bit of a delay with our lovely willowy friend." 

"You mean it unfroze while you were coming down?" Sirius howled.

"Precisely. Anyways, just wanted to say that we're taking a different route, don't wait up for us."

"I didn't plan too."

There was a loud shriek from the mirror, which James muffled by covering it with a bit of his robes.

"SPIDERS!" Peter's suppressed voice cried. "Spiders! Sirius gettem off! Gettem off!"

There was a dull purple flash and the yelling stopped. Either Sirius really had removed the spiders, or he had removed Peter's speaking abilities. James uncovered the mirror nevertheless and hissed into it. "Moony is behind us, drop him a note that we'll leave the window to the boys dormitories open. We'll send a signal when its ready."

"Roger that, mate."

Lily watched James tap the mirror with his wand and it went back to its reflective state before being roughly shoved back into his pocket.

"So, what exactly is the plan?"

James reached down to help her up, but she sprang to her feet on her own and cocked a grin at him. 

"We." he said, sliding his hand onto hers. "Are going to walk right into the school as though nothing happened. ... but we're going to do it fast before the teachers get back."

With an evil smirk he raced her across the sloping front lawns of the Hogwart's grounds. They didn't stop until they had reached the front doors, by then feeling confident on not being caught by any teachers or Filch... yet. They pushed open the doors and slipped inside. _Somehow, _Lily mused, she had gone from curious, to frightened, to mad as hell and now to some peaceful, happy, new place that didn't really fit a category on its own. Funny what one kiss could do.

The front entrance was still filled with students on their way from a late lunch, or heading off to study in the library or going down to the dungeons. What Lily noticed first was that as they started to walk everyone turned to glance at them or whisper to each other. It made her want to throw James' hand down and storm away, but instead she held a little tighter.

James however walked forward confidently, now all they had to do was act natural and get to the common room and they were home free. Maybe even while they were up there opening the window for Remus they... he let the sentence fall flat in his head, giving Lily's hand an extra squeeze. Finally he noticed as they were half way to the staircases that everybody was looking at them. It was obvious to him why, him and Lily were meant to be together and everybody was just happy it had finally happened. He sure was. After all, she was one of the most well liked girls in school and he was one of the most well liked boys in school and .. when it came right down to it there was something about Lily that always felt right.

They turned a sharp corner and almost fell over. Standing at their feet was Mr. Tibbles, Filch's cat who seemed to like to spy on the students. If it was there then Filch sure couldn't be far away.

Without even looking at each other they broke off into a run, each stride faster than the last with only one thought in mind; get to the effing common room.

They reached the staircases, but it would take far too long to wait for them to move to the right level, so instead James pulled Lily through a doorway pretending to be a tapestry and took off up a spiral staircase. At every level there would be a small array of light scattered in through what looked from the inside to be a transparent veil. This cast enough light that they didn't need to bother lighting a wand, for the short trip up.

When they reached their floor they still didn't stop running until they came all the way to the corridor with the Fat Lady on it. Now they finally slowed and caught their breath, Lily putting her hair up in a ponytail so it looked half decent. (i.e- not like she had been running through the forbidden forest, and soon after around the school like a madwoman, practically attached to the person she had vowed to hate forever.)

"Helter-Skelter" she said upon reaching the portrait.

The fat lady looked her up and down and grinned before swinging forward to allow them in. James couldn't help giving Lily a sideways glance as the fumbled into the nearly deserted common room. Rebbecca saw this and glared all the harder at Lily from the back wall, but he was too busy enjoying his time up on cloud nine. After all, it wasn't every day the girl (who he had secretly been crushing on for over four years) kissed him.

Suddenly Lily found herself enveloped in a big hug and felt somebody's bony arms digging into her own. She looked down and saw a tangly mass of curly bright orange/blond hair and let out a sigh of relief.

"Trixie, what happened? We thought you got in a lot of trouble!"

Trixie, who had released Lily from her death grasp now grabbed a hold of her arms. "I know! I'm so glad your okay! Where is everybody else? I thought I was done for but it was..." just as suddenly as she had pounced Trixie was trailing off into another world. "Actually, just where is everybody else?" she asked. Her voice measured.

"Um." Lily looked up to James, who stood awkwardly about a foot and a half away, watching the scene unfold. "They'll be here soon... I think. But um, are you in trouble?"

Trixie shook her head so frantically she had to squeeze her eyes shut. "No. But I have to um, go to the library. I'll see you later tonight." and with that she bounded off so fast it was practically a run.

Lily was painfully aware of all the eyes upon her as she grabbed James by the sleeve and led him up to the boys dormitories. They where still on a mission. That, and the slight feeling of reckless happiness that still seemed to control her, even with that interesting display by Trixie.

Willingly following her, James looked back at the first years, watching them with wide eyes peeking over textbooks. He flipped them the thumbs up and winked before being letting himself get pulled into the room. As soon as the door was closed behind them he grabbed Lily's waist and pulled her closer to him.

"But what about Remus?"

"What about him?"

"Doesn't he want in?"

"He can wait."

"But what about Amber and Faith?"

James smirked and brought his hand up to Lily's face. "We both know that by now Faith has already weaseled Remus out of his coat, and Amber is probably too hot tempered to be cold."

Lily smiled and bit her lip as James lowered his mouth onto hers.

"OY! COLD OUT HERE!"

James heaved a sigh. "What did I tell you about that hot temper, I told you she had one. _I told you._" James teased, his hands somehow finding her waist again and tickling her ever so slightly. Lily rolled her eyes but made it to the window in three steps and yanked open the shutter.

"One minute!" she sang, before snapping it shut and turning back to James, who was waiting right behind her.

She captured his mouth in hers and let her body lean up against his. Every inch that was touching seemed to sizzle and spark

James moved his hand up to her tender face, running his thumb over her jawline and sending shivers down her spine. 

"OY! NO NECKING! I'M BLOODY COLD!"

This earned both a groan from James and Lily. Finally they pulled apart long enough for James to push the window open to its fullest and say "Common up then!"

In the yard below they saw Amber glaring up at them. She was on one side of a Faith sandwich, while Remus had the other side (and also may I add here, no coat.)

"Please let us in! Its freezing out here." Faith called up.

In a moment of quick thinking he reached under his bed, pulled out his trusty Comet 260 (which he should have had at the race had he really wanted to win.) and pitched it outside with a loud : "Look out below!"

But when he turned back Lily was rubbing her arms. "It is actually quite cold now." she said plainly, her brows knitted.

Again James found himself hiking over to his bed, this time to pull of the heavy woolen blanket then coming back and wrapping it gently around Lily's shoulders. He knew she wasn't a girl for sentiment, but chose to do it all the same.

Lily pulled at the scratchy fabric around her shoulders. Her recklessness was slowly subsiding, but she still had that happy, giddy feeling that made it completely impossible to wipe the stupid grin from her face. Even as Amber, Faith and Remus all in turn made it through the narrow hole that was the window.

"Oh dear god, you've had sex while we where down there, haven't you." said Amber plainly taking one look at Lily.


	8. bonus! so we ARE? or not

Chapter Eight:

"Actually." said Lily. "For your information we've done nothing of the sort. And your welcome for letting you in before you froze to death."

Amber just rolled her eyes. "Gag me with a spoon."

"So this is what the boys dormitories look like." Faith mused, quick to change the subject. Remus and Lily and James where all equally grateful for this.

"Don't tell me you've never been up here." said Remus, which to James sounded very much like a pick up line.

"Nope."

This started a long debate about which was better, the girls dormitories or the boys. Which, of course, Amber won because she kept making things up about it.

Lily stayed dutifully quiet the whole time. There was no better mood ruiner than best friends.

"Well." she said, after she thought she had been tortured long enough. "I think I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

--------------------------

Amber and Faith had been quick to leave after Lily had, leaving only Remus and James since Peter and Sirius where out gallivanting around Hogsmead. 

"They better bring me something back." said Remus, unusually grumpy.

"Well not with that attitude, Moony. Remember your pleases and your thank yous." James said this half asleep, as he had already changed into his pajamas and was under his covers which smelled faintly of Lily.

"You and Miss Evans looked quite close." Remus pried.

"And your point would be...?"

"I'm just saying that its been in a long time coming. I'm glad you two are finally ... at the same place."

James sat up. "What exactly does that mean?"

Remus was untying his shoes lazily on his bed. He looked alarmed at James' sudden flair up. "Nothing. Just that it was bound to happen is all. I think you guys are good for each other. Different than the others." His words where carefully selected and slow versed, as if he was anticipating a violent mood swing. Instead James laid back down on the pillow. 

"Remus, don't go soft on me." he said, but somewhere in his heart he knew Remus was right. This was different. And if there where any doubts being unable to sleep because he kept seeing Lily in his dreams definitely stinted them. 

-----------------------------------

Early the next morning Lily and James met in the common room and walked down to breakfast together holding hands. It would have been a miraculous act of fate had James not been scouring the Marauder's map waiting for her to come down.

They walked to the Great Hall holding hands, talking. It seemed all too perfect, and as we all know too perfect things never last.

As soon as they entered the hall that morning there was a collective gasp from every table they passed. It might have been imagination, but the students craning their necks to get a good look post certainly where not.

James ignored them. He was used to the attention to be honest also quite prepared for it. Of course they would look, it was Lily Evans for crying out loud. Who would not look?

Lily on the other hand was more self conscious about it, and that was saying a lot seeing as she almost never got self conscious. This however was too much. It felt like everyone was whispering bad things about her all at once. Going out with James Potter, how predictable. The pretty always go with the pretty. What about Severus?

Speak of the devil.

Even at the thought of her former best friend she found herself scooting down the table a bit farther. How was she going to explain this to him? So what if they where in a fight, Sev would not take this well. In fact, he would probably not talk to her for a month and a half if he found out from somebody else... Just a month and a week if her found out from her... maybe.

"I'll be right back." she said, before getting up quick stepping it to the nearby girls washroom.

Lily had a plan. She would simply write it all down on that bit of paper they used to pass notes and that would make it all better. _After all, _she thought, _if I tell him myself that makes it better. Right? If I'm honest and tell him before he hears it from somebody else? _But deep down she knew she wasn't fooling anybody, he would still be mad no matter what.

Defeated, she sat down on the cold bathroom floor, feeling the tiles against her back. She would have to think of another plan.

-----------------------------------

"You want to pretend we're not going out." repeated James dumbly a few hours later out in the hallway.

"That is if we are going out..." she said, her cheeks reddening at the thought of kissing him and then _not _going out with him and bringing this up.

"No, we are. I mean, if you want us to be. But pretend to not be going out? Why? Thats the whole fun of it." he sulked.

Lily instinctively reached out and took his hands. "No. Its just." she sighed. "You know that Sev is my very BEST friend and that we've been friends for as long as I can remember. Well. I know that you two don't get along, and I just really don't want to hurt his feelings. We're in a fight right now and that would just make it all the worse."

James stared at stone wall behind her head, thinking. "So your pretending not to go out with me because of another guy?"

Girls where confusing.

"No. Well yes. But Sev doesn't really count as a guy. Hes more of a guy friend. But anyways, will you do it? Please?"

"But he'll find out eventually. Its never going to last." said James.

"I'll tell him sometime. Just not right now. Again: please?"

James smiled at the cute pout on her face. "Okay. But just for you. Don't start rumors that I'd do this for any girl."

Lily smiled and gave him a peck on the lips. "Thank you times a million. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Enough for a little broom closet time?"

"No."

"Enough to let me walk you to class?"

"Um. Yes."

Proud of his bargaining skills James took her books and walked beside her, head held high in the air. Even if he couldn't verify that they where going out, he certainly wasn't going to openly deny it either. 

"You do know that we have the same class anyways, right?"

"Er. Yes."

Lily laughed.

It felt right to be with James, very right. Actually, it felt like she was ten feet above the Earth whenever she was with him, but she wasn't quite ready to let people know. Not yet at least.

That would just be a lot of trouble, and not something she wanted to start with.

But who was to say she couldn't have her cake and eat it too.. just without anybody knowing... and also technically without the eating his face, because lucky for her, her kissing skills had improved since the fourth grade.

-----------------------------------------

_Alright, how do you like that? Two chapters at once!! Okay, so this chapter WAS really short... and maybe it was a few days...er...weeks in the making. But still. Can't blame a girl for trying, right?_

Its been hectic I must say. I wont fill you in on any of the gory details, but heres the jist of it. High school way too many people craving drama.

ps. And also musical auditions suck.

pps. And ex boyfriends.

Anyways, thank you for being so patient with me and double thanks to everybody who reviewed the last chapter. Hopefully the next one wont take so drastically long to come up with. 


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